38The Purpose and Procedure for the Gift of Tongues (14:20-28)

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, ‘By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,’ says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe. If therefore the whole church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and let one interpret; but if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. (14:20-28)

In this passage Paul first reviews the primary purpose of the gift of languages and then gives the procedure, or guidelines, for its proper use. This is an unusually important section, because it gives a clear picture of what the gift of languages was designed to do and therefore gives another basic criterion for judging whether or not that gift is valid today.

The apostle has just pointed out that even the true gift was inferior to prophecy and teaching, because it was not primarily intended for edification of the church, though edification came when what was spoken was translated or interpreted (14:5). It was therefore true, technically, that the gift of translation, a distinct gift from speaking in tongues (12:10, 30), was the edifying gift.

Earlier in the letter Paul makes it clear that tongues-speaking was not an evidence or proof of the baptism of the Holy Spirit: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (12:13). Every Christian is baptized by the Holy Spirit, but not every Christian is given the gift of tongues (12:30). At no time has every believer received or been promised the gift of tongues, not even during apostolic times, when that gift was active. Immediately after the first and most dramatic occurrence of the language miracle, when three thousand people believed in Christ and received the gift of the Holy Spirit, there is no record of a single one of them speaking in tongues! We are told that the new converts listened to the apostles’ teaching, fellowshipped with each other, ate and prayed together, shared their possessions, worshiped in the Temple together, and praised God (Acts 2:37-47). But no mention is made of their speaking in tongues.

A short while later, as Peter and John met with some of the disciples, the group was “all filled with the Holy Spirit.” The result of that filling was speaking “the word of God with boldness,” not speaking in tongues (4:31).

THE PURPOSE OF TONGUES: A SIGN

As Paul begins to explain the true purpose of tongues, he appeals to the Corinthians to be mature in their thinking. It was their loveless immaturity and carnality that caused their theological, spiritual, and moral problems, including their misuse and counterfeiting of the gifts. Before they could comprehend what the apostle was trying to say, they would have to stop being children in their thinking.

In evil the Corinthians were anything but babes. They were highly advanced in every sort of sin. They had virtually all the manifestations of the flesh and almost none of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:19-23). They were “children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14). By their selfish, ego-building abuse of the gift of tongues they were, among other things, ignoring the rest of the family of God.

They could not be taught because they were not interested in learning. They were interested only in using spiritual means and fellow believers in whatever ways would serve their own ends. They were not interested in truth but in experience, not in right doctrine or right living but only in good feelings. They were not interested in pleasing the Lord or their fellow Christians but only themselves. Experience always won out over truth, emotions always won out over reason, and self-will always won out over God’s will. Unlike the Bereans (Acts 17:11), the Corinthians did not bother to check what they heard against Scripture. They did not bother to “test the spirits to see whether they [were] from God” (1 John 4:1). If something sounded good, they believed it; if it felt good, they did it. Like the Israelites in the time of the judges, everyone “did what was right in his own eyes” (Judg. 17:6; 21:25).

Hopefully having shamed the Corinthians into attention by confronting their abuse of the gifts, Paul explains to them the true purpose of tongues. He begins with a freely rendered passage from Isaiah 28:11-12. Hundreds of years before Christ, the Lord told Israel that one day He would speak to this people by strange tongues from the lips of strangers. Despite this miraculous sign, however, she would not listen to Me.

Those strange tongues, Paul says, are what you now know and experience as the gift of languages. God has given that gift as a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers. Here is the heart of chapter 14 and the most important truth about this phenomenon: it was given as a sign, and as a sign to unbelievers, specifically unbelieving Jews, the unbelievers among this people. The gift of tongues was given solely as a sign to unbelieving Israel.

The sign was threefold: a sign of cursing, a sign of blessing, and a sign of authority.

A SIGN OF CURSING

Some 15 years or so before Isaiah prophesied about the strange tongues from the lips of strangers, the northern kingdom of Israel had been conquered and taken captive by the Assyrians (in 722 B.C.) because of unbelief and apostasy. The prophet then warned the southern kingdom, Judah, that the same judgment awaited her at the hands of the Babylonians. The proud religious leaders of Judah would not listen to Isaiah. His teaching was too simple. He talked to them, they claimed, as if they were babies, “Those just weaned from milk” and “just taken from the breast.” He taught them as if they were kindergartners: “Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there” (Isa. 28:9-10). God had indeed spoken to them simply, in order that the least mature among them could understand and so that no Israelite would have an excuse for not knowing the Lord’s will and promise. The essence of His promise was, “Here is rest, give rest to the weary,” and “Here is repose”; yet Israel “would not listen” (v. 12).

About 800 years before Isaiah, God had warned Israel that “The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand” (Deut. 28:49). The strange language of their conquerors would be a sign of God’s judgment. About 100 years after Isaiah, the Lord warned through Jeremiah, “Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,… a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say” (Jer. 5:15). The sign of judgment would be a language they could not understand.

When the apostles spoke at Pentecost and were heard in their own language by Jews from many countries (Acts 2:7-11), those Jews should have known that God’s judgment was imminent. His judgment had fallen on rebellious Israel and then on rebellious Judah. How much more would it fall on those of His people who now had crucified the Son of God? In A.D. 70 that great judgment fell, when Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by the Roman general Titus (later emperor). Over one million Jews were slaughtered; thousands more were taken captive; the Temple was plundered, desecrated, and then utterly destroyed; and the rest of the city was burned to the ground, One historian comments that Jerusalem had no history for 60 years. Just as Jesus had predicted when He wept over the city, “Your enemies will throw up a bank before you, and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:44; cf. 21:20-24).

After the destruction of Jerusalem, and especially of the Temple, the reason for tongues ceased to exist. The judgment of which it was a sign had come. After the Pentecost manifestation of tongues, Peter, by implication, reminded his hearers of that judgment: “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36; cf. w 22-23).

A SIGN OF BLESSING

The second sign was a residual benefit of the first. The gift of tongues was a sign that God would no longer work through one nation, and favor one people. The church of Jesus Christ was for all peoples of all nations, a church in which there are many languages but no barriers. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

With great compassion and sorrow for his fellow Jews, Paul wrote in Romans, “But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.” But with a note of great hope he continued, “Now if their transgression be riches for the world and their failure be riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” (11:11-12). A few verses later he explains more fully: “For 1 do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written” (vv. 25-26). The way would always be open for individual Jews to come into the kingdom, for the hardening was only partial, and one day the entire nation of Israel would be brought back to her Lord. The sign of tongues was repeated when the Gentiles were included in the church, as recorded in Acts 10:44-46.

A SIGN OF AUTHORITY

Those who preached the judgment and promised the blessing were the apostles and prophets, whose authority was validated by “signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12; cf. Rom. 15:19). Among the authenticating signs was the gift of tongues, in which Paul spoke “more than you all” (1 Cor. 14:18).

As a sign, the purpose of tongues ended when that to which it pointed ended. A person driving to Los Angeles may see the first mileage sign about 300 miles away. Later he sees one that reads “200 miles to Los Angeles,” and then “50 miles,” and then “10 miles.” After he passes through the city, however, the mileage signs to Los Angeles cease. They have no further purpose, because that to which they pointed has been reached and passed. The gift of tongues was attached irretrievably to one point in history, and that point has long been passed.

It is interesting, and I believe highly significant, that no record is given of a single word spoken in tongues or even interpreted. Every reference to tongues is general. They are always mentioned in relation to their purpose and significance, never in relation to their specific content. The messages given in tongues were not new revelations or new insights, but, as at Pentecost, simply unique expressions of old truths, “the mighty deeds of God” (Acts 2:11). Though tongues could edify when interpreted, their purpose was not to teach, but to point, not to reveal God’s truth but to validate the truth of His appointed spokesmen.

Since the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 there has been no purpose for the sign gift of tongues, because that to which it pointed has been reached and passed. Israel has been set aside, the Gentiles have been brought in, and the apostles have given the faith once-for-all delivered to the saints.

But prophecy, Paul goes on to say, is for a sign, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe. As indicated by italics in the NASB text, is for a sign is not in the Greek text and was supplied by the translators. According to Greek grammar such a meaning is possible, but it is not required. Because prophesying is nowhere else spoken of as a sign, I do not believe that is Paul’s meaning here. He was not saying that prophecy is a sign to believers as tongues was a sign to unbelievers. Prophecy is given to those who believe, and is not given as a sign pointing to something else but for edification in itself (vv. 4, 31).

The limited function of the genuine gift of tongues can be seen in the fact that, even during its proper time in history, it could be misused and become a hindrance to worship and to evangelism. If everyone with the gift spoke at once, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? As in v. 16, I believe that idiōtēs (ungifted) is better rendered in its more common meaning of unlearned or ignorant.

An unbelieving Gentile would have been turned off if… the whole church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, because he would have seen no meaning in the sign. An unbelieving Jew would have been turned off because of the bedlam and confusion. Mainomai (mad) means to be in a frenzied rage, to be beside oneself in anger. An unbeliever, Gentile or Jew, would go away from such a service thinking it was just another wild and meaningless ritual, much like those of paganism.

Though they were not given for edification, tongues were nevertheless to be understood, not to cause bewilderment. The amazement of the Jewish visitors in Jerusalem at Pentecost was in the fact that they understood what was spoken in tongues in their “own tongues” (Acts 2:11).

On the other hand, if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all. These judicial verbs indicate that preaching the Word brings men to the conviction that the argument is true, and that they will be judged on the basis of their response. Paul continues to contrast tongues with prophecy, again showing prophecy’s superiority. Prophecy is used here in its most general sense of speaking forth God’s Word. When the Word is proclaimed it speaks to men’s hearts and brings conviction of sin, the first step in coming to faith. The convicted person comes to see himself as he really is, because the secrets of his heart are disclosed. His sinful intentions and acts are revealed to him. Consequently, he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. The church’s most powerful testimony is not in its ecstasies, but in its clear proclamation of the powerful Word of God (Heb. 4:12).

When tongues were misused, there was only confusion, frustration, and bewilderment. Unbelievers were repelled and believers were unedified. But prophecy edifies believers and evangelizes unbelievers. God is honored and men are blessed when His Word is clearly declared. Our desire should be that every service, every activity, everything that we say or do in the Lord’s name will cause people to say God is certainly among you.

THE PROCEDURE FOR TONGUES: SYSTEMATIC

The New Testament always gives a doctrinal basis for Christian behavior. There is always a theological reason to do what we are called to do. Just as Paul uses the first eleven chapters of Romans to lay the doctrinal foundation for the exhortations of chapters 12-16, so here he uses the first twenty-five verses of 1 Corinthians 14 to lay the doctrinal foundation for the exhortations of verses 26-40.

The primary emphasis of verses 26-40 is that the biblical procedure for the use of languages is to be systematic and orderly, according to divine pattern—contrary to the confused way in which the Corinthian believers seemed to do everything. Whether they had a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation, they all wanted to participate at the same time. They were not interested in serving, or learning, or edifying, but only in self-expression and self-glory. Everyone vied for attention and preeminence.

A psalm referred to reading, or perhaps singing, one of the Old Testament psalms. A teaching probably indicates a favorite doctrine or pet subject that was presented and expounded. Other members had what they claimed was a new revelation from God. Others spoke in a tongue, true or counterfeited, while still others gave an interpretation.

Except for the possibility of counterfeited tongues, all of those things were good and legitimate parts of worship. The problem was that they were all done at the same time. No one was left to listen, except for the few bewildered visitors, who no doubt thought the whole group was crazy (see v. 23). No one could benefit from such bedlam.

In light of such confusion and disorder, Paul gives a clear command: Let all things be done for edification.

Oikodomē (edification) literally means “housebuilding,” the construction of a house. Figuratively, it refers to growing, improving, or maturing. The spiritual lives of Christians need to be built up and improved, expanded to fulness and completeness. The primary responsibility of Christians to each other is to build each other up. Edification is a major responsibility of church leaders (Eph. 4:11-12), but it is also the responsibility of all other Christians. Every believer is called to be an edifier. “Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11). “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself” (Rom 15:2-3). Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Our Lord did not seek what was beneficial to Himself but what was beneficial to those He came to save.

As Paul repeatedly points out in this fourteenth chapter, a major evidence of the Corinthians’ loveless immaturity was their selfish concern for themselves, the other side of which was lack of concern for the edification, the building up, of their brothers and sisters in Christ (vv. 3-5, 12, 17, 26, 31). They did not, as Paul commanded, “pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Rom. 14:19). That which builds others up is also that which brings harmony, just as that which is selfish is also that which brings disharmony.

Christians are built up by only one thing, the Word of God. That is the tool with which all spiritual building is done. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). That is the tool with which every believer should be skilled.

REGULATIONS FOR SPEAKING IN TONGUES

In verses 27-28 Paul gives four regulations for the use of tongues: (1) only two or three persons should speak; (2) they should speak in turn; (3) what they say should be interpreted; and (4) if no one is present to interpret, they should not speak.

Contrary to the pagan ecstasies that many of the Corinthian Christians were mimicking, the Holy Spirit does not work through persons who are out of self-control or “slain in the spirit.” He ministers all of His gifts through the conscious, aware minds of the saints.

First, If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three. In any one service no more than three persons, and preferably no more than two, were permitted to speak in tongues. Although Paul has regularly used the singular tongue to refer to the counterfeited gift, it seems clear that here he is speaking of the genuine thing. He hardly would have given regulations for using a counterfeit. Here he uses the singular tongue to correspond to the singular subject, anyone, since a given person at a given time would speak only in one language.

Second, those two or three persons should not speak simultaneously as they were accustomed to doing, but each in turn. Orderliness, understandability and courtesy all demand such a procedure. Several persons speaking in the same language at the same time would be confusing enough, but doing so in different languages would be bedlam.

One of the strongest indictments of the modern charismatic movement is the common practice of many persons speaking, praying, and singing at the same time, with no one paying attention to what others are doing or saying. It is everyone for himself, just as it was in the Corinth, and is in clear violation of Paul’s command that each speak in turn.

Third, let one interpret. Everything spoken in a tongue must be interpreted, and apparently by only one interpreter. In the Greek construction, one is in the emphatic position, indicating that a single person is involved. The interpreters in Corinth were as self-serving as those who spoke in tongues, and each tried to outdo the other. Verse 26 implies that everyone, whatever they were doing, tried to shout everyone else down. Paul tells them that, whereas two or three were allowed to speak in turn, only one was to interpret.

Fourth, if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church. Although speaking in languages and translating those languages were distinct gifts, they were not to be used apart from one another. An interpreter could not exercise his gift unless there were speaking, and a speaker should not exercise his gift unless there were interpretation. Paul’s instruction presupposed that the congregation knew which believers had the gift of interpretation. If one of those persons was not present, there was to be no speaking in tongues. The rule was clear and simple: no interpreter, no speaking out loud. A person who still felt compelled to speak was to meditate and pray, to speak silently to himself and to God.